CARGO HATCH ARRANGEMENT

Abstract: This invention relates to arrangements at hatches and the like for openings of holds in ships. The novelty lies therein that at least some hatches are arranged as hatch elements (4) and have at least one seat (6) for receiving at least one loading platform (7) in turn arranged to carry goods and provided with locking means (8) for the detachable connection with lifting tools or the like lifting device (11).

Description: CARGO HATCH ARRANGEMENT Technical field of the invention This invention relates to cargo hatches preferrably 'tween deck hatches. Background of the invention The cargo holds of vessels vertically divided by 'tween decks are separated from each other and closed upwardly towards the open air by so called hatches, which when a lower hold is fully loaded and covered to start with serve as a transport and driving surface for trucks and the like and after filling of the spaces sideways and forward and astern of the hatchway be used as a loading surface for goods. The load will then fill all of the surface of the hold the hatchway surface included. It may be mentioned that a hatchway of a hold normally is covered or closed by several hatches one arranged alongside the other together forming a continuous surface to be used as mentioned above. In all times it has been a difficult task to break into a general cargo load from above, i.e. to after the hatches above have been opened, enter the load in order to set slings and the like around a first unit to be lifted so it can be removed and thereby make it possible to reach the load. The accessibility increases more and more as load units are lifted out so that the free space increases. When the goods is placed on pallets it is necessary, in order to make vacant so large a hatch space as necessary for allowing the use of lifting cages, i.e. a plate with wires attached to the corners and normally adapted to four standard pallets, to sling and lift out 16-46 pallets resulting in a considerable loss of time and involving risk for damages. The same goes where relevant also for loading. The difficulties in disengaging and slinging separate pallets is specially obvious when the cargo is palleted goods of type frozen animal carcasses and similar cargo with varying shapes. A stack resting on the pallet is often because of the movements of the vessel shifted laterally and makes the accessibility difficult and also the disentanglement of the pallet. One purpose of this invention is to bring about a new arrangement in hatches for dividing or closing cargo holds and thereby a new way of loading and unloading ships having such hatches. Summary of the invention This invention includes designing at least one, normally more of the hatches or hatch elements for covering hatchways with at least one seat for at least one load carrying platform, which in its hatch engaging position levels with the upper face of the hatch element or adjoining hatches and edge, an end portion eventually also forming a cover for a through opening arranged in the hatch element and being provided with means for connection of lifting devices making it possible to remove the load carrying platform. A hatch element for one or more platforms arranged thereon corresponds in size to a conventional hatch and for covering the hatchway several hatches or hatch elements are needed. A loading platform to be based on the hatch elements ought to have an area preferrably corresponding to a multiple of the size ' of now used standard pallets surface. The platforms must have the ability to carry load placed thereon and to be liftable by means of the connection points for attachment or lifting devices making it possible to hook or connect lifting wires, lifting yokes or the like. When a vessel is to be unloaded by means of the vessel's own cranes or cranes at the quay the loading platforms with load thereon which are laid bare when the opening in the deck above is opened are lifted out one by one as units, placed on the quay or the like and simply and effectively emptied and to thereupon be returned to the hatch element so that they fill out the seat in the hatch element and close any opening provided in the hatch element and forms the desired work and handling surface -from which cargo placed at the sides can be reached during continued unloading. The arrangement, thus, includes besides the seats arranged in the special hatch elements with or without through openings, the loading platforms adapted to said seats with connector points where by means of attachments or connecting devices, lifting straps, corner posts, lifting yokes or the like may be attached. The removable platforms with cargo standing thereon may - provided the hatch elements have through openings - naturally be used for, on demand allowing inspection of or works inside the spaces below without removing of the hatches otherwise necessary. It is even possible to unload cargo from a lower hold at least to a limited extent. The hatch elements with the openings thereon and the platforms naturally must be adapted after the type of hatches and the type of cargo at issue and it may even be appropriate to allow the openings to be successively smaller with the biggest one at the top to simplify unloading and loading on platforms below. One essential advantage is reached if loading platforms and also the seats receiving same can be standardized so that they can function as replaceable load carriers. Empty loading platforms can be provided ashore for immediate replacement of lifted out loaded platforms and on reloading preloaded platforms can be at hand ashore. On the ship the loading plat¬ forms require no extra space but are integrated in the load hatches as such. The hatch elements may easily be adapted for available hatchways without changing the size of the loading platforms. The usability of the vessel or the hold is not impaired and it is without problems possible to load also general cargo such as crates, sacks, bales etc. and on lacking necessary lifting capacity, the loading platforms may be left unused. Among the advantages resulting from the invention may be mentioned that the damages of goods is minimized as the earlier necessary heavy hand braeking into general cargo loads no longer is necessary. A considerable gain of time is reached by using the loading platform system below the hatchways. This means that the lay time or lay days and thereby also the costs are reduced. The possibility to lifting out one platform after the other without reshuffling and picking means results in a reduced demand for labour. Brief description of the drawings The invention will be explained more in details in the following with references to the attached drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side view of a hatch element arranged according to the invention with a loading platform with loaded pallets thereon and carried by a lifting yoke, Figure 2 schematically from above shows how loading platforms and hatch elements may be mutually dimensioned relatively to the free opening of a current loading hatchway, Figure 3 shows the same as Figure 2 but in relation to another loading hatchway, Figure 4 schematically illustrates how so called Europe pallets may be loaded on a load platform according to Figure 2, Figure 5 schematically illustrates how the same loading platform may be used for pallets of ISO-type, Figure 6 is a schematical cross section along a portion of a vessel hull and illustrates how hatches and hatch elements for the upper decks A and B are folded away whereas the cargo on deck C is left, Figure 7 is a cut out of an end portion of a hatch element and a loading platform resting thereon and lifting columns, Figure 8 in considerably smaller scale shows a loading platform seen from above, Figure 9 in a cross section shows an edge support device for loading platforms, and Figure 10 is a schematical perspective view of a cross section through a vessel's hull especially adapted for fully utilizing of the idea behind this invention. Detailed description of preferred embodiment Figure 1 shows the main features of the invention. In a deck 1 of a vessel there is a hatchway 2 which at the edges is provided with hatchway frames or beams or the like abutment portions 3 for conventional or current hatches and for the hatch element 4 illustrated here, which is adapted to rest its end portions at the beams 3. The position of the beams 3 gives the result that the upper side of the hatch element as the upper side of current hatches will be essentially in level with the upper side of the deck 1. In the arrangement according to Figures 2 and 3 it is possible to arrange for hatch elements 4 according to the invention in the middle and for conventional hatches L at either end. Figures 2 and 3 show essentially the same but in the former the free opening of the hold is smaller - 12,7 x 7,4 m - than the free opening according to Figure 3 where it is 13 x 10,5 m. The hatch element 4 has end portions 5 adapted for the frame beams 3 at the hatchway and has outer dimentions corresponding to those of a current hatch. Between the end portions 5 of the hatch element 4 there is recessed seat 6 adapted to the length of a loading platform 7 arranged according to the invention and at this seat there are locking devices 8 which by means of manually control means 8' or - not shown - power driven operating means are interconnectable with complementary locking means 9 at a loading platform 7. As can be seen more clearly from Figures 7, 8 and 9 there are also at the upper side of the loading platform 7 arranged locking means 10, which are arranged for allowing securing of loading columns 11 or the like lifting aids such as lifting eyes or the like at the loading platform. Figure 1 illustrates how a loading platform with pallets carrying a load "CARGO" by means of the lifting columns 11 interconnected by means of complementary means at the ends of a lifting yoke of a crane or the like is lifted up from the seat 6 at the hatch element 4. At the short sides of the loading platform 7 there are pockets 13, Figure 8, for stays 14, Figure 7, and at elongated holes 15 by means of which supporting studs 16 of as lateral support serving elongated profiles 17 are arranged in order to prevent displacement of a loading platform because of the movements of the ship into an adjacent loading platform and vice versa so that lifting of individual platforms is made more difficult. In refrigerator ships the decks are normally provided with air channels and conventional hatches have corresponding channels making it possible for air to flow through the same and also be dispersed through holes at the upper face of the hatch provided for such purpose. In the preferred embodiment shown in Figure 7 the loading plat¬ forms are provided with air channels 18 and holes 19 in the upper face corresponding to channels and the holes arranged in current hatches. The loading platform 7 thereby will similar as current hatches be included in the air distribution system of the deck. Figure 6 illustrates how hatch elements 4 can be used in the middle of the free opening of the hold wherein every hatch element seat 6 a loading platform 7 with loaded pallets P are placed. The decks A and B are shown empty and the load hatches 21 of these are folded up along each side of the free opening. In the case hatch element 4 has replaced the hatches also in decks A and B normally the loading platforms are placed in the seat 6 of the hatch elements and secured by means of the locking devices 8, 9 so that the element 4 and the loading plat¬ form 7 regarding the handling thereof form one unit and, furthermore, - in such cases a loaded platform at a given time will not be used as such - are put in it's place serves as a conventional hatch. On unloading of the cargo on deck C a lifting yoke 12 is connected to the columns 11 at each loading platform so that the load platforms one after the other can be lifted out, emptied and put in again alternatively replaced by existing empty ones. After being put in place again, the loading platforms form the intended free surface needed for moving the remainder of the cargo forwardly to the hatchway. During the continued unloading, the loading platforms may be used in the same way as the earlier known cages. The system including hatch elements and loading platforms is similarly useful on loading when after having filled the hold or a certain deck in a conventional manner utilizing the handling surface made available by the loading platforms at the hatchway, the loading platforms one by one may be lifted ashore, filled with goods on pallets and lifted on board again and fitted into the seats 6 at each hatch element. Alternatively you naturally can have an excess number of loading platforms to be loaded beforehand and one by one taken on board to replace a platform lifted out. In a development of the invention illustrated in Figure 10 the ship has hatchways 25 running over essentially the whole extension of the hold athwartships and fore-and-aft and here are utilized hatch elements 24 adapted to the width of the openings and arranged to rest at supporting beams 26 arranged at each deck level. A ship arranged in the way just mentioned would be able to load and to unload respectively on a fraction of the time today necessary as all movements of goods or cargo within the ship is vertical and all manual handling within the holds is elminated. The transport of the loading platforms 27 to and from shipside from and to store houses can easily be automatized. A ship constructed according to the given parameters would make it possible to reach at least as high efficiency on loading and unloading of general cargo on pallets and the like as on container handling. An essential difference and advantage compared with container ships is that the problem with taking care of emptied containers is completely eliminated and that known and tried technique from refrigerated or frozen transport holds can be utilized.

Claims: C L A I M S 1. Arrangement in cargo hatches, cargo hatch elements and the like adapted for closing upwardly openings in decks of ships or vessels, of holds and the like spaces and intended after being fitted in a closing position to carry goods placed thereon, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that at an upwardly facing opening in the deck is mountable at least one hatch element (4) supported on at least two of the edges (3) of the opening, which hatch element (4) has at least one seat portion (6) preferrably countersunk relatively to the surrounding deck and the remaining deck element arranged to receive for securing thereon at least one loading platform (7) intended to carry one or more cargo units such as pallets or the like and provided with locking devices or interconnection with lifting means (11) making it possible to remove the loading platform from the seat (6) for loading, further transport the like or loading and replacement into the seat respectively. 2. Arrangement according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the hatch element (4) with its edges (3) engaging an opening (5) , is provided with at least one through opening. 3. Arrangement according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the seat. (6) for receiving at least one loading platform (7) is countersunk and shows an essentially non-perforated surface. 4. Arrangement according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that a loading platform intended to be placed in the hatch element (4) seat besides locking means for its interconnector to lifting devices, along at least one side has a detachable supporting profile (17) and also for struts or the like load stabilizing supports (14) . 5. Arrangement according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that a hatch element (4) adapted for cooperation with the edges (3) of the cargo hatchway (2) and a loading platform (7) carried by said element is provided with below and along its upwardly facing surface arranged air channels to be connected with such known air channels arranged within the deck and that the upwardly facing surface of the loading platform provided with a number per se freely open bores or the like air blow out holes (19) . 6. Arrangement according to claimn 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that a hatch opening (24) is extending essentially over the whole width of the hold and/or the length thereof and that along the opposite walls of the hold are arranged supports (23) for the platform units (24) arranged athwartships and that at such hatch units is arranged at least one seat for a load carrying platform (27) unit which preferrably by means of cranes mounted on the decks is movable to and from a seat at the hatch units.

Inventors: GHILDIYAL MUKUL, GHILDIYAL, MUKUL
Applicants: COOL CARRIERS SVENSKA AB, COOL CARRIERS AB
Application year: 1994
Main classification: B63B19
IPC codes: B63B19, B63B25